M27 IAR

The M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle is a Light Machine Gun produced by Heckler and Koch . It was designed as a support weapon variant of the HK 416 Assault Rifle, and is compatible with standard 5.56mm STANAG magazines. The M27 is based on the Heckler & Koch HK416, which in turn derives from the M4 carbine and Heckler & Koch G36.[20] It features a gas-operated short-stroke piston action with a rotating bolt. The free-floating barrel is surrounded by MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rails for use with accessories and optics. The simpler gas-piston rifle system reduces the amount of time it takes to resolve malfunctions on the IAR compared with the M249.[13] The M27 is so similar to the standard M16A4 that its bolt carrier can fit into one and chamber a round. Conversely, an M16 bolt carrier cannot fit into an M27.[1] Alternate calibers other than 5.56 mm are being considered for the M27. It is currently used by the Alliance Joint Marine Corps.